This triple-play of a recipe from acclaimed New Zealand chef Matt Lambert features crab, cod and mussels, all in one delicious dish. Hailing from the land Down Under, the chef has enjoyed a lifelong appreciation for the seafood of his region.

Lambert explains, “I remember growing up fishing all around Auckland most weekends with my uncle or father. Very often fishing off the rocks we would catch rock cod, so there is an instant connection for me personally with cod, summer and fishing. Same thing goes with pickled mussels! At almost every barbecue, my parents had someone who would bring a tub of pickled mussels.”

“The way I brought them together in this dish is very simple,” he continues. “The whole preparation can be made ahead of time. It’s made à la minute except for the fava purée.”

For a wine pairing, we suggest New Zealand’s Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc, a bright, fruity and well-balanced sip that complements light seafood dishes beautifully. Bon appétit!

INGREDIENTS

Cod
Four 1/3-pound portions of a very large cod, filleted by local fishmonger
4 Tbsp butter
Salt, to taste

Pickled Mussels
2 pounds steamed mussels
3-1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 cups Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc
10 peppercorns
2 Tbsp salt
4 stems tarragon
6 bay leaves

Crab and Fava Sauce
4 Tbsp crab meat
7-3/4 cups blanched fava beans
3 Tbsp liquid from the pickled mussels
2 Tbsp Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc
1 Tbsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 mussel
1 Tbsp salted butter

Fava Puree
2 cups blanched warm favas
1 cup hot heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Garnish
Black mint
Dill
Bronze fennel
Fava flowers
1 lemon, cut into wedges

METHOD

Pickled Mussels
Heat ingredients until sugar and salt are dissolved. (You may adjust the sugar to your personal taste, adding more if you prefer a sweeter pickle.) Let cool to around 180°F/80°C. Add mussels and store, refrigerated, for at least 5 days.

Crab and Fava Sauce
Gently warm ingredients in a saucepan, adding butter last and mix to incorporate without breaking the liquid and butter. When you remove from the heat, add the herbs as you are serving and mix through.

Fava Puree
Place all ingredients into a blender, except for the cream. Add cream slowly and purée on a very high speed to ensure the purée is as smooth and silky as possible.

Cod
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt then sauté, skin-side down, until golden and crisp. Flip over to finish the cooking.

Plating and Garnish
Smear the fava purée at the base of the plate. Place the fish on top of that and carefully place the stack of crab/favas next to the fish. Accent plate with the mussel and serve with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Serves 4.

For more great recipes and wine pairing ideas, visit the Entertaining section of nobilowines.com.

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